Conceptual Understanding

Conceptual Understandingis to understand each step of
your solutions. You need to question each step of the solution and how you
derive the steps. The steps of the solution can be logical to you and can be
commonsense but you may not understand it. Take an example “A right
angle is 90º”, why 90º not 100º and why a circle is 360º. You need to
check and question those information that you have applied so as to understand your
solution better.

Conceptual Understanding starts from day one when
you start to learn mathematics. There are no guidelines or list of items you
need conceptually understanding it. There is only a list of topics you need
to learn to help you to advance in mathematic. Conceptual Understanding will help
in making your foundation in Mathematic strong. You need to conceptual
understand most of the topics so as to advance well in mathematics.

To improve Conceptual Understanding, you need to
askWhy?
Why? Why?You also need to know what are the topics you are
weak in. Some topics are prerequisite to another topic. You need to understand
it before you can advance to the next topic. Go through the list of topics
you have learnt in the past and check which topics you are unable to
understand. Address those topics you are weak in first before you start to
learn the next topic.

Some concepts are for application and it is
difficult to understand through practicing of solving problem sums. You need
someone to explain to you its application. Some concepts are too abstract and
you may not be able to understand at your level.

Understanding your basic concept is very
important. Some of them are taking things for granted. They view the basic
concept as commonsense and ignore it. Take an example why the circumference
of a circle is C =2πr? How do you derive the formula? Understanding the
proving of the concept is always the best way to strengthen your conceptual
understanding.